I think I might be depressed/OCD. What should I do?

[Anonymous]

I think I may be OCD and/or depresed. I've been feeling down for months and can't remember the last time I was truly happy. I'm extremely irraitable and I have weird rituals I follow everyday. I become obsessed with stuff for long periods of time and I have no idea why. My family has lots of mental illness including bi polar, OCD, Depression, schizophronzia. I have taken a bunch of screening tests and all of them say I most likely have them. I know those are not accurate. But I feel horrible and sad all the time and it's so hard. I have thought obout suicide before because of extreme bullying in school. I would never go through with it but I'm scared of those thoughts. I don't know how to approach my parents with this. What should I do and say to them?

[NovaLS]

You need to get an appointment and talk with your doctor. Don't embellish but don't hold back either. I was diagnosed with depression and OCD as well and I used to have trichotillomania, I would stare at the clock and in classes especially math I would have to redo my problems up to 4 or 5 times because I thought I did my work wrong even when checking it once! Made for some very long tests... And I used to cut and have suicidal thoughts. I was against medication because of the way I would be labeled but let me tell you, a few pills and some new friends later I was almost an entire different person :) don't feel strange or abnormal for these things. You are you and you're unique and your friends and family love you because you are you. Just try and keep busy, socialize, and as I said before. Meet with your doctor. Best of luck and Viel Erfolg!

[YazanAA]

You have to visit a doctor and take medication there's no shame about that... But please don't try to kill yourself you still young and by the way you are neither the first nor the billionth to face these issues.

[misupanda]

I would just be honest about it. Let them know that you're worried about your mental health and you think you should start seeing a therapist. Therapy can be very beneficial, and they can also assess if medication would work better for you. With depression, I wouldn't do medication unless you absolutely have to (for example, if you've tried therapy for awhile and it isn't working).

If you go to a therapist and you do not mesh well with them or they somehow set off triggers for your negative feelings, then try another one. Therapists are people, so they're all different. I've seen a lot of different therapists over my years. Some were great, and some were absolutely awful. So just because one isn't working doesn't mean another won't. :) Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Write a note. It's the best way to sort out all of your feelings and thoughts without being too frazzled. You can write it and give it to them when you think it's finally worded perfectly. Give it to them and go to your room or go take a shower or something and go back out after you've given them the time to read it.

My friend did this, like, a week ago and it worked really well for her. After her mom read it, they talked it out and agreed on some terms in order to cope and move on from there. So I'd write a note explaining how you feel and what kind of treatment you want, if any.

[Anonymous]

I do get bouts of depression and OCD stems from it. I have to obsessively clean. I know how you feel I basically grew up in a free range mental asylum most of my life. I wasn't going to tell my parents. It kind of sorta had to happen since my sister had pointed out I was cutting. You can keep it to yourself bc it's only OCD but it is exhausting bc your brain adds new tasks for you constantly before you can have a normal day. Just sit them down and say "mom, dad. I'm pretty sure I have OCD..."

[shadowlegend]

You are having some problems and you don't feel good about things, and you would really like to get help, and you want their support and guidance.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you are supposed to be "cray cray" just like the tests say... Why are you still here? Hmmmm